Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Marine reserve near Ambergris Caye, Belize
Hol Chan Marine Reserve covers about 18 km² of coral reef, seagrass beds and mangrove forest off Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. Its core is the Hol Chan Cut, a natural break in the reef about 23 m wide and 9 m deep, where the sea outside drops toward the Caribbean and inside fades into shallows. The reserve is split into zones, including Shark Ray Alley.
The Fisheries Department established this reserve in 1987 to address declining fish populations and manage growing tourism activities. This protection allowed the underwater environment to recover while establishing rules for how the area could be used.
Local fishing communities continue to work within the reserve and share their knowledge with visitors about how to fish responsibly. These practices show how people can make a living while protecting the waters they depend on.
Access is by boat from San Pedro on Ambergris Caye or from Caye Caulker. Zone A, the Hol Chan Cut, and Zone D, Shark Ray Alley, are the two charged snorkeling areas; fees are collected through a yearly licensing scheme applied to tour guides' boats rather than directly from visitors. Zone B and parts of Zone D allow fishing only with a license.
Shark Ray Alley, added as Zone D in 1999, was traditionally used by fishermen to clean their nets before returning to port. The food scraps that entered the water attracted nurse sharks and rays, and local guides now feed them to draw the animals for snorkelers in the shallow, sandy-bottomed area.
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